September 9, 2011

Today I would like to wish a very Happy Birthday to my sister, Kathleen, known to the Fanfiction community as Leafy Savanna Chan and to DeviantArt as LeafiaDream. Please extend your congratulations to her, if you frequent either of these sites. It's her sweet 16, and I want it to be the sweetest ever! Love you, Kitty! ^^

On a different note, I would also like to make a plug. I beta a story by Vivienne67 called Season of the She-Wolf, and it is absolute perfection! (Her fault, not mine.) If any of you are Leah fans, please check it out. I highly recommend it.

Lots of love, comment bubbles, and blessings,

evelyn-shaye


Special thanks to She Wrote That and Jennrosee for being such spectacular betas for this chapter! Shout out also to AnnabethRenesmee, the first to add me to her favorites way back when.


Chapter One: Something Wrong

Five years later

All was quiet in the Cullen house. There was no brush of wind as Aunt Alice danced by, no music from Daddy's piano; even my trilling heart seemed to hush in anticipation. I perched lightly on my Jacob's lap and stared at my family members—Aunt Rosalie, poised almost with hostility; Uncle Emmett, his regular, easygoing smile missing from his perfect face; Aunt Alice, slipping in and out of focus and frowning at whatever vision she saw; Uncle Jasper, watching all of our faces warily. Grandmother Esme and Grandfather Carlisle were nowhere to be found, however, but I felt no need to ask Jacob where they were.

I faced my parents last. Daddy probed our minds with more tension than he normally did; Momma attempted to hide her pain with an uncertain smile, but I could see muted agony in her eyes.

This time I did place my hand on Jacob's warm cheek. I showed him a flash of all their faces and the empty spaces where Grandfather and Grandmother should have been; then I asked, What's wrong?

Jacob winced but didn't answer. Daddy glanced up at me. "Wait for Grandmother and Grandfather, Nessie," he said quietly. "We will explain everything when they return."

Our family lapsed again into silence. With my hand now on Jacob's neck, I allowed my thoughts to wander. For the first four years of my life, with the exception of our one run-in with the Volturi, time had passed freely and contentedly. Since our encounter with Nahuel, a South American half-vampire, my family had relaxed at the knowledge that my growth would end near my seventh chronological birthday when I would physically be around 21. From then on, I would be immortal, as long as outside forces didn't intervene.

During this fifth year of my life, however, the atmosphere began to shift. I didn't notice it at first, too immersed in drawing pictures and playing hide-and-seek in the woods with Jacob and being homeschooled by my father, Edward. But one day, just last week, in fact, I woke up with the complete assurance that something was wrong.

My family's motions, normally fluid and graceful, became more frantic. Grandmother and Grandfather suddenly left one day in the fastest – but also most conspicuous – car we owned, a stretch for my grandfather, especially. Daddy and Alice conversed frequently but quietly and always left Jacob and me out of it. I could tell that he was itching to know what Alice had seen and what she continued to see, but Daddy was very vague, like he acted around Grandpa Charlie in "need to know" situations.

Jacob lifted my hand from his neck and squeezed it gently. "Everything will be okay, Ness," he murmured. "They would've told us if there was something really wrong."

I melted with his gentle words and leaned my curly-haired head on his shoulder. Of course everything would be fine. I had Jacob, my best friend and protector; even though I didn't need the protection, what with my being half-vampire. Still, if I ever had a bad day, he held me close and made me feel better. He taught me how to climb trees and how to swim. He hunted with me and helped me with my homework. He tucked me in at night. Jacob was everything to me. As long as he was around, my world could function normally.

Jacob relaxed and wrapped his arms around me. "Thanks, Nessie," he whispered into my ear, his hot breath caressing my cheeks. I almost jumped in surprise but caught myself, merely stiffening for a moment before relaxing again. I hadn't realized that we were still holding hands and that he had heard every word I'd thought about him.

That was the one drawback to my gift. I could be touching someone and not use it, but the moment my thoughts ran away with me and I lost control, it would activate automatically. One time, I had been arm-wrestling with Emmett and joking about the merits of different animals' blood, and my mind drifted to my first, accelerated period—he and I couldn't look at each other for a week out of embarrassment.

Other than that minor annoyance, I loved my gift. It was useful for passing along gentle encouragement or asking shy questions. It also saved breath, which was convenient whenever we hung out with mere mortals. Even though I was half-vampire, I had all the augmented desires of a true vampire. I could eat normal food and, for the most part, enjoy it, but I still had to hunt as often as the rest of my family did to resist the temptations of human blood.

Daddy breathed in, to get our attention rather than test the air, so I glanced up and was startled to find that Grandmother and Grandfather had slipped into the empty seats. I showed Jacob my surprise and he snorted. "Sneaky vamps," he muttered. The rest of my family chuckled.

This time Grandfather breathed. "All of you have some idea as to why we're meeting here today," he began quietly, "some of you, more than others. I recently learned from Alice"— here he acknowledged my little aunt—"that my co-workers and other members of the community are growing suspicious of us and plan to confront me at the office in the next few weeks. They want to know why our appearances haven't changed at all in the last seven years, and they will demand answers." Rosalie hissed, but otherwise, no one moved or made a sound.

"Edward and Charlie easily confirmed this," Grandfather continued, nodding at my dad. "We're becoming too conspicuous; Esme and I are trying to pass ourselves off as mid-30-year-olds, and with more Quileutes learning our secret, we can't hide Renesmee for much longer." I grimaced; everything was my fault. Daddy glanced at me in concern, and Jacob patted my hand comfortingly.

"In light of this," he said, his expression sad as he faced me, "we have decided to leave Forks."

The silence was shattered by the sliding of chairs and raising of clear, beautiful voices: Rosalie, thoroughly angered that our nature was ruining a life of normality once again; Momma, crying out that there must be another way, that Grandpa would be heartbroken; Daddy and Jasper, gently pleading with the spoken and unspoken, felt and expressed, to understand that there was no other recourse.

Only one rough voice contrasted the rest. My Jacob, who let go of me to join the throng, added his protests to Bella's, his tone laced simultaneously with rage and pain. I lowered myself into his seat.

Move? Away from our house of glass and fairy tale cottage? Away from Grandpa Charlie and Grandma Sue? Away from the werewolf pack and La Push? Away from—?

I couldn't finish the thought. Suddenly, I wasn't even able to breathe. If we moved away, what would happen to Jacob? He was my everything; didn't they know that I revolved around him like a planet around a sun, the most glorious sun in the universe? And now they wanted to cast me off into the void and the cold, out of orbit?

Without thinking, without warning, I forced myself into the crowd and grabbed Grandfather and Momma's faces. I sent them the most distressing images and emotions I had ever placed on anyone, even when the Volturi were going to kill us all.

Black fire pain hurt afraid helpless miss him blood broken crumpled crushed black nightmare army painful ouch goodbye can't breathe black cold void NEED HIM!

The two of them stopped talking immediately and stared at me with wide, shocked, pained eyes. Daddy caught the flow of thought in his own mind and held his hands up to end the conversation. Everyone hushed except for Jacob.

"Ness? Are you okay?" my friend asked urgently, pulling me close to him.

I buried my head in his shoulder and showed him a softer version of what I had shown Momma and Grandfather. I already had his attention, and I didn't want to hurt him unnecessarily. Jacob stiffened.

"You won't take my Nessie away, will you?" he whispered despairingly, clutching me tighter.

None of the Cullens answered. Finally, it was Grandfather who said, "It is more than clear that we must leave, Jacob, and take Renesmee with us. She is our family, and while we understand and support your…friendship with her, we cannot separate her from her parents." He twisted the word "friendship" strangely; Daddy sighed in relief, but I couldn't tell whether it was at Grandfather's choice of word or at his defense of my parents.

"Well, then, why can't he come with us?" I voiced aloud, careful not to let my voice crack.

Momma answered this time. "Of course we want Jacob to come with us," she said gently. She frowned slightly at Daddy; I knew after years of observing their interactions that she was forcing back her shield to share her thoughts with him. "But we are very concerned with blending in as best as possible. Eight vampires, a half-vampire, and a werewolf are bound to draw attention."

"And you have to consider your life here, Jacob," Daddy added, taking Momma's hand. "Your tie to Renesmee is strong, but you have an obligation to your pack and family in La Push—"

"I'm not entirely necessary, now that La Push has two Alphas," Jacob interrupted. "Leah's getting married in a few months, so she's trying to quit her wolf form." Aunt Leah had imprinted at her community college last year; she hoped that if she could stop shifting, she would be able to have children one day.

"And Sam will readily accept the guys into his pack again," he continued, almost blabbering now. It was as if he knew his argument was valid, but that he didn't want to believe it himself. "Seth knows that Sue needs him, especially now that Leah is leaving, and Embry and Quil will understand."

Daddy stiffened slightly, but I barely noticed. I raised my eyes to Jacob's and tilted my head. Please, Jake. Please come with me. The longing was obvious in my plea; my friend smiled sadly but nodded his assent. My spirits lifted, causing my hummingbird heart to fly even faster. Jacob could come!

Grandfather frowned. "But this doesn't solve the issue of remaining inconspicuous. Our family has grown so much—"

"So have Billy enroll me," Jake said, his words flowing more easily now. "As long as he fills out my forms, I can still hang out at your place and no one would know the difference."

"I'd know the difference," Rosalie muttered darkly. Daddy sighed, but everyone else brightened considerably.

"Well then," Grandfather said, his voice relieved, "as long as Billy and Sam are amenable, I have no qualms about your decision. But please think through this carefully before committing to a life outside of Forks."

"I already have, and will continue to," Jacob promised. "I was technically supposed to move out three years ago and spend so much time here already. I'd bet he's tired of me by now," he joked, flashing his telltale smirk.

The Cullens laughed – the sound was like little ringing bells that never ceased to enchant me. I played back the conversation, with my accompanying happiness, to Jake. He smiled and spun me in the air. I laughed joyfully.

"Jasper," Alice muttered. I sensed that this conversation wasn't over, compliments of my persuasive uncle, and faced Grandfather again.

He cleared his throat unnecessarily. "We have to make a few changes to our names this year," he said. I remembered the story of when Momma was human and still in high school. Daddy, Emmett, and Alice all took on the Cullen name, whereas Jasper and Rosalie used Rosalie's former last name, Hale, and passed off as twins, in order to pacify any community members concerned about the intra-coven relationships. They maintained those names even now, except for Rosalie and Alice, who had "married" Emmett and Jasper again.

"With Bella and Renesmee now in the picture"—my fault again!—"we had to consider how to integrate them into the pre-existing picture. Bella cannot, for obvious reasons, be a Cullen"—Momma and Daddy glanced at each other with knowing smiles—"but neither can she pass herself off as a Hale sibling. In addition, Renesmee looks too similar to Edward to be anything other than his sister.

"Esme and I have a proposition that may require all of your input." Grandfather turned to her, and she smiled encouragingly. "Jasper and Rosalie will continue to be the Hale siblings." The two of them nodded in agreement. "Edward and Renesmee will be the only two Cullens, and preferably you two can be twins, as well." Daddy glanced at me with concerned eyes, but I shrugged indifferently. It was only a public appearance; I knew who I was out from under human scrutiny.

"Alice, Emmett, and Bella…" Here Grandfather paused and bit his lip.

Grandmother stepped in. "Alice," she implored, her face glowing with love, "would you consent to our borrowing your former name?"

I frowned; I never heard this story before. I silently asked Jacob, but he was just as confused as I was. Daddy answered, "Alice's given name was Mary Alice Brandon," but didn't elaborate.

Alice met Grandfather's gaze seriously; obviously, she had been anticipating this. "Mary Alice Brandon is long dead to me," she answered them. "If using my human name will help us, then I am more than willing."

Grandmother fluttered to her side and hugged her gently. "Thank you, sweet Alice," she murmured. Jasper watched her questioningly, as if waiting for a shift in her mood, but she shook her head ever so slightly. The atmosphere became suddenly calmer with Jasper's relief.

Grandfather smiled. "Then we know what we must do. Jasper, or Bella," he added thoughtfully, "one of you should make an appointment with Mr. Jenks immediately. We'll need transcripts along with the usual."

"How soon do you want them?" Momma asked quickly, glaring at Jasper. He sighed dramatically. I remembered from a snippet of conversation after the battle that Momma used a gentler approach to doing business with Mr. Jenks than he did. Jasper apparently reigned by terror, whereas Momma tried to reassure the poor man and use money as her only incentive. Neither approved of the other's method.

"If Alice's vision is correct," Grandfather answered, "we should leave by the end of next week." It was Thursday now. "Let Jasper give you a run-down on the transcripts, since you haven't covered that aspect before."

Something occurred to me that we hadn't discussed yet. "Where are we moving?" I asked aloud.

Grandfather seemed surprised. "Oh, of course, Nessie. We're moving to Westhope, North Dakota," he informed us. "Population 533, just south of the Canadian border, 98% Caucasian, and"—here Daddy grinned at Jacob—"1.7% Native American."

Jacob looked up in interest. "Is there a tribe nearby?" he asked eagerly.

I shared his excitement. When I was younger, I had posed a question about the existence of other shape-shifting tribes, and while we never actually researched the question – mythological stories never quite captured the truth, if there were even an element of it, and we preferred to spend our days exploring outside – we did pretend to be other animals and fabricated elaborate histories about their creation. Jake's favorite form was a bear; I went through phases, convinced once that shape-shifting squirrels could be deadly enemies of vampires.

Grandfather shook his head. "There is little information available on the demographics," he answered. "A tribe of Chippewa eventually settled in the Turtle Mountains, about an hour human's drive to the east, and some other tribes like the Arikara lived in southern North Dakota. Regardless, though," he added, "if there is a tribe near Westhope, they will almost certainly not be shape-shifters, and if they are, they're unlikely to be wolves, like the Quileutes." Jacob nodded thoughtfully.

"Where are we going to school?" Momma asked next.

Grandfather smiled. "You will enroll at Westhope High School. All of you can decide what grades you want to start in."

Finally, a sense of true peace—not Jasper's induced tranquility—infused the house. Jacob reached for my hand and motioned for me to follow him; I took his hand willingly, ready for a break from the morning's almost-drama.

"Where are you two going?" Daddy called. As if he didn't already know. Jacob and I always traveled back and forth between the glass house and Jacob's home. It was a rare day, especially during the summers, that I didn't split my day with the two halves of my heart.

Jacob answered anyway. "We'll be at La Push. Emily and Claire have been asking to see Nessie again, and I need to meet with the Elders." Here he frowned slightly. As much as he wanted to come with us, Jake would miss his brothers. So will I, I realized with a pang of loss.

Daddy nodded. "Ask Emily if she'd be willing to keep Renesmee for a few days," he said. This wasn't an unusual development, either, now that the treaty allowed for my safe and easy passage across the Quileute border. "We'll be doing so many preparations over here. Ness would have more fun away from the busyness."

I smiled. Daddy knew me too well.

"I'm sure Emily will let her. Nessie is Claire's favorite babysitter." Jacob grinned at me. Whenever Claire wasn't distracted by her Quil, she liked to stroke my auburn curls and listen to me read to her with an ever-present dimpled smile on her face. Claire was, without a doubt, the sweetest eight-year-old around.

As we walked outside, I automatically turned around to let Jake phase. It was a habit that we had perfected for the last five years and one that always brought a sense of peace and stability. Jacob the human was my best friend, but Jacob the wolf was my protector, my safe place, and an even more intimate connection with the supernatural. Besides, as long as he was able to shift, we would live together forever, and all would be right in the world.

When he nudged me with his nose, I leapt onto his back and gripped his fur for security. In a rush of wind, we were flying away toward my second home.